Why are the noble gases the least reactive elements? (1 point)
Responses
They have a full valence electron shell.
They have an empty inner electron shell.
They are the elements with the smallest atomic mass.
They are the most electronegative elements.
They have a full valence electron shell.
what is the correct answer
The correct answer is:
They have a full valence electron shell.
This full valence electron shell provides noble gases with a stable electronic configuration, making them the least reactive elements.
The correct answer is: They have a full valence electron shell.
Explanation:
To find the answer, we can start by understanding the concept of valence electrons. Valence electrons are the outermost electrons of an atom, located in the highest energy level or shell. The number of valence electrons determines the reactivity of an element.
Noble gases belong to group 18 (VIII A) on the periodic table, which means they have a full valence electron shell. A full valence electron shell means that the outermost energy level is completely filled with electrons. As a result, noble gases have no desire to gain or lose any electrons since their outermost shell is stable and does not need any additional electrons to become stable. This makes them the least reactive elements because reactivity typically involves the gain, loss, or sharing of electrons.
In contrast, other elements in the periodic table (except hydrogen and helium) have partially filled valence shells. These elements tend to be more reactive because they can gain, lose, or share electrons to achieve a full valence electron shell and become stable, similar to noble gases.
Therefore, the correct answer is that noble gases are the least reactive elements because they have a full valence electron shell.